Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu said that local government units (LGUs) are prohibited from issuing tax declarations for parcels of land belonging to public domain or those classified as forestlands.

The prohibition, he said, is provided under Presidential Decree No. 705, as amended, pertaining to the issuance of certificates of real property tax declaration to persons occupying or possessing parcels of forestland.

Cimatu recently issued a memorandum directing all field officials of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to remind the LGUs within their respective jurisdiction about the prohibition and the penalty it entails when violated.

“The law is clear that no public officer or employee can issue a Certificate of Real Property Tax without securing a certification from the Department that the real property to be declared for taxation is alienable and disposable,” Cimatu said in a recent memo addressed to DENR regional directors and assistant directors for technical services, and provincial and community environment and natural resources officers.

Cimatu warned that public officials and employees found violating the law could face a jail term of up to four years and permanent disqualification from holding elective and appointive positions in government.

The DENR is the agency responsible for the administration, survey, management and disposition of alienable and disposable lands and other public lands not placed under the jurisdiction of other government offices.

Cimatu said it has come to his attention that there has been a number of irregularities when it comes to the issuance of tax declarations by LGUs to individuals who are in “open, continuous, exclusive, adverse and notorious possession” of parcels of forestland.

The memo was issued at the height of the government crackdown on erring establishments in Boracay, where residents have been issued tax declarations by LGUs despite the entire island being classified as a forestland. ###

Photo Releases

DENR 8 Regional Director Atty. Crizaldy Barcelo accepts the Chairmanship of Eastern Visayas’ Regional Ecotourism Committee (REC) for a three-year term from the Department of Tourism represented by its Officer-In-Charge, Ma. Trinidad Dacuycuy.

Scenic feature of the Cuatro Islas Protected Landscape and Seascape attract local and foreign tourists. To protect the area, the CIPLS PAMB limits its tourists to 500 per day.

Some of the retired key officials and employees of DENR pose for a picture with DENR Regional Director, Atty. Crizaldy Barcelo.

DENR 8 Regional Director Crizaldy M. Barcelo (L) presents Certificates of Recognition to partners in law enforcement for their invaluable support and contributions to environmental law enforcement operations in Eastern Visayas.

Tacloban City communities join this year’s #InternationalCoastalCleanUp activities. DENR Region 8, together with other government agencies and private institutions joined hands in cleaning up the coastal areas and waterways within the city.

DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu recently visited the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office of Samar in Catbalogan City. During his interface with DENR employees in Samar province, Secretary Cimatu laid his plans to help reduce poverty. Among these are increasing livelihood opportunities through the Enhanced National Greening Program (E-NGP), reinventing mining to ensure that the country’s mineral resources will benefit the people without compromising the environment, and promoting cacao commodity to augment the livelihood of NGP PO beneficiaries in Samar.